Knockdown coop.



No. 896,567. PATENTED AUG. 18, 1908.

E. C. MUDD. KNOCKDOWN COOP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2 5, 1907.

2 SHEETS-#SHEET 2.

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ELIJAH C. MUDD, OF JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WALLER W.

GRAVES, OF JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI.

KNOCKDOWN COOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application f1ed May 25, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIJAH O. MUDD, a citizen of the United States, residing at J efferson Oity, in the county of Oole and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Ooops. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in knock-down or collapsible shipping cases adapted for use as coops for shipping poultry and also adapted vfor other purposes and it consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

The obj ect of this invention is to provide an improved case or coop of this character which may be readily constructed at small cost, which may be readily set up and knocked down, and which, when knocked down or collapsed, is very compactly disposed and occupies but small space, so that it may be readily returned at minimum cost in transportation.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a erspective view of a coop or case constructed) in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the partition of the coop or casing. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the coop or case in a collapsed or knock-downcondition, and with its sides and ends disposed compactly on the bottom, the top being removable. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the same showing the top also in place. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same, taken on the lane indicated by the line a-a of Fig. 6.

` iig. 8 is a detail horizontal sectional view showing one of the corners of the coop or case.

The bottom 1 of my improved coop or case- 'is here shown as solid and is provided at its the ends of the slats project beyond the said cleats, as at 7. On the inner sides of the slats of each side 4 at a point about midway between the ends thereof, are a pair of cleats 8 which form grooves I; 9 between them. Each end 1() is also here shown as composed of slats 11 and cleats 12, the said cleats being secured to the slats at points near the ends thereof so that the said slats project at their ends beyond said cleats, as at 13. rl`he top 14 of the case is also here shown as com cleats 16 are secured to the under sides of the.

slats at points near the ends thereof and the y cleats 17 are secured at the under side of the slats at the centers thereof. In addition to the slats 1.5 which are fitted to the cleats, I provide a central slat 18 which is detachably secured to the cleats by the means hereinafter described. Cross bars 19 are secured in the upper sides of the slats 15 near the ends thereof to strengthen the construction of the top. A partition 20 is also provided to divide the coop or case into two compartments. Said partition is here shown as comprising slats 21 and cleats 22 secured thereto near the ends. The cleats 6 of the sides are provided with outwardly projecting studs 23 and the cleats 1-2 of the ends are provided with openings to receive such studs.

To lock the bottom, top, sides and ends together, I provide a pair of angle irons 24 and a pair of bolt rods 25. Each of the said bolt rods comprises sections 26-27 which may be detachably secured together by a screw coupling 28. /Vinged nuts 29 are provided to operateon the said bolt rods.

When the coop or case is set up, the sides and ends thereof bear on the bottom within the side and end flanges of the bottom. The cleats 12 of the end bear against the cleats 6 of the sides and receive the studs 23, the ends of the slats 5 of the sides bear against the outer side of the cleats 12 of the ends and the projected ends of the slats 13 of the ends bear against the projecting ends of the slats of the side, as shown in detail in Fig. 8.' The partition is placed transversely in the coop or case with the ends of its slats in the grooves 9 formed between the cleats 8 of the sides. The top bears on the upper edges of the sides and ends and also on the upper edge of the partition, its end slats 16 terminating short of its side edges in order to clear the cleats 12 of the ends and its cleat 17 bearing directly on the upper edge of the partition. The slat 18 is then placed on the top and the bolt rods 25 are passed through alining openings in the top and bottom and near the ends of the said slat. The angle irons are provided in their horizontal arms with openings to receive the stood.

upper portions of the said bolt rods. Said angle irons are placed on such rods with their horizontal arms bearing on the ends of the slat 18 and their vertical arms bearing on the outer sides of the upper slats of the ends and the wing nuts are then screwed on the said bolt rods and serve to clamp the top, bottom, sides and ends together, as will be under- The angle irons serve to Alirmly hold the ends in place.

When the coop,` box or case is to be knocked down and is disposed in compact condition to facilitate transportation of the' empty coop or ease, the sides are placed lengthwise of the bottom with their cleats uppermost, the partition is placed on the said sides lengthwise with its cleats undermost to enable the slats to clear and bear on the cleats 8 of the sides. The ends are disposed transversely over the sides and partition with their slats uppermostand their cleats extending downwardly and bearing on the sides. The top is placed on the ends and the bolt rods having been shortened by unjointing their upper sections 27, the slat 1S having been applied on the top, together with the angle irons 24, the said bolt rods are passed, as before, through the openings in the angle irons 24, and the winged nuts are screwed down thereon, as shown in Fig. 7

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A knock-down structure of the class described comprising a bottom, side pieces and j a top, said bottom, side pieces and top being detachable from one another and having coacting devices to relatively hold them in place when set up, a slat for application to and removable from the top, angle irons for application to the end portions of said slat and to bear against the outer sides of opposite side pieces when the structure is set up and against the ends of the bottom when the structure is knock-down and bolts detachably securing said angle iron on the slat, connecting the slat and the bottom, and coacting with said slat to clamp the top and the side pieces between the slat and the bottom when the parts of the structure are assembled in either set or knock-down condition., said bolts comprising detachable sections whereby they may be varied in length and means to connect said sections together.

In testimony whereof, I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELIJAH C. MUDD. Witnesses:

.H. A. DUDLEY, H. S. GILMAN. 

